“Can’t
you see how much I love you?”
In
the early 1930s Buster Keaton signed a contract with MGM. It was probably one
of the worst decisions he ever made in his life. Instead of making the kind of
films he had been in the silent era where he had some control he was making what
MGM dictated he should make. Many film critics will say Keaton’s films from
this period are not his best. I had the opportunity to see one of Keaton’s
talking MGM films entitled The Passionate
Plumber and although it is not one of his best films it is still very funny
and very silly.
A
chauffer named McCraken is sent to look for a plumber by his employer. He meets
Elmer who is an inventor as well as plumber.
Patricia,
McCraken’s employer, is upset because her lover Tony is married but keeps
chasing after her. Tony shows up looking for Patricia.
Elmer
tells McCraken to wait downstairs on standby to turn the water on when he sends
a signal to do so. McCraken thinks he hears Elmer’s signal and turns on the
water and poor Elmer gets completely soaked. Tony hears Elmer in the bathroom. He
opens the door to Elmer in a towel. Tony thinks Elmer is the other man and
challenges him to a duel (*the film takes place in France*). During the duel
Elmer keeps messing up the whole thing up. He follows Tony instead of walking
away from him and keeps tripping. Eventually the duel does not wind up
happening because of both Elmer’s clumsiness and a hunter scaring everyone
away.
Elmer
has created a gun and he wants to show it to a general. McCraken takes Elmer to
a casino to meet the general and show him the gun. Elmer’s gun accidentally
goes off and he is not in the right clothes to enter the casino. At first Elmer
cannot find the right clothes but he winds up finding a suit after some time.
When he gets into the casino he makes a mess of things and accidentally sets
the gun off again. As he was walking away Elmer passes Patricia who was being
asked by Tony who the other man was. She grabs Elmer and kisses him to make
Tony jealous.
Throughout
the rest of the night Elmer keeps taking out his gun at the wrong time. He has
to make a quick exit. He finds a car outside, takes it and crashes it. Turns
out the car belonged to Patricia and it was really expensive there is no he can
fully pay her back. Patricia comes up with the idea for Elmer to pretend to be
her lover to come between her and Tony. When they arrive back at her place Tony
comes and says he wants to take her away. Elmer comes in. She is mad at him for
telling her what she had told him to.
The
following day Elmer is at her house. He will not go away and Patricia is angry.
He follows her all over the place. Tony comes around and Elmer is there between
them in her pajamas. Tony is furious. She tries to get Elmer to tell him about
the contract but he will not say anything. Tony storms out.
Patricia’s
Aunt Charlotte comes to the house. She saw a man’s shadow in the bathroom and
comes in to see what is going on. Elmer pretends to be a doctor. As Elmer plays
pretend Patricia manages to sneak away.
Elmer
gets Tony to come to the house. It turns out Tony has a Spanish lover and Elmer
found out and invited the Spanish woman to come over to see Tony. Patricia
comes back and sees the other woman there. The two women argue for a bit but
then they realize that Tony was lying to both of them about being married. When
Tony comes in Patricia and the Spanish woman gang up on him and throw things at
him.
After
all the throwing has ceased Patricia tells Elmer she loves him.
My
review and summary of the plot does nothing it is poor compared to how The Passionate Plumber really is. I was
laughing in a lot of the scenes especially the duel scene and when Buster
Keaton has his towel on then takes it off and slaps Tony!
It was weird hearing Keaton speak and to see him smile in some scenes! I liked The Passionate Plumber even though it
was not one of Keaton’s best films. It was cute and sweet and hysterical.
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